2020-04-11
The Blues Brothers: On A Mission To Escape COVID-19
There are 106 miles to Chicago. We have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses...
OK... Here’s Your Mission...
Learn some Blues!
There are lots of cooool Blues pieces you can play.
Start with 12 bar blues
You can download an easy version with backing here:
the link will be here soon...
A harder version with backing is here:
the link will be here soon...
Then there are some easy songs...
Try “Rockin’ Blues”
or “Struttin’”
or “Struttin’ The Blues”
And some harder songs...
And what about songs from the Blues Brothers?
OK, so the Blues Brothers movie is one of my favourite movies.
It’s funny, no-one gets seriously hurt, Princess Leia is a hairdresser in her “Curl Up and Dye Beauty Salon” who masters flame throwers and rocket launchers, more cars get smashed than in any other movie I’ve ever seen, and the cameos are hilarious.
But... the music!
Firstly, the Blues Brothers Band is essentially “Booker T and the MG’s”, one of the most famous bands of all time:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._%26_the_M.G.%27s
And then there is the line-up of the best R&B, Blues, and Soul performers: Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, John Lee Hooker, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Sam & Dave, Lou Marini, Tom Malone, Alan Rubin, Willie Hall, Matt Murphy, Paul Shaffer... yeah, I like the Blues Brothers!
So what can we play?
Sweet Home Chicago
Sweet Home Chicago is a famous Blues song, and is a favourite of President Obama...
“Green Onions”
“Soul Man”
“Think”
“Shake A Tail Feather”
Ray Charles is playing a famous “Fender Rhodes” electric piano. It has a unique, bluesy sound.
Roland pianos have this sound, called “Vintage EP”, so use that sound if you can!
Now this has nothing to do with the Blues Brothers, but it is a wonderfully moving video of a composer (Angelo Badalamenti) talking about his composition process with a film director (David Lynch, also a composer in his own right), and playing a Fender Rhodes.
You can play “Twin Peaks” too if you want - it sounds great on the piano!
Here are some other Fender Rhodes style songs that you can play:
Then of course, the Blues Brothers also played country music...
Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here?
Waitress: Oh, we got both kinds. We got Country AND Western!
“Rawhide” Theme
“Stand By Your Man”
And let’s not forget “Ghost Riders In The Sky”
Some Other Blues Brothers Songs...
“Boom Boom”, John Lee Hooker
“Jailhouse Rock”, Elvis Presley
“Respect”, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin
And Some Other Blues Pieces You Can Use For The Challenge...
Finger Twister
Fly Me To The Moon
I Got Rhythm
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Louie, Louie
The Richard Berry R&B classic!
Rhodes Scholar
Rockin’ Blues
“Tie Break”, by Christopher Norton
Here is Christopher Norton’s favourite recording of this piece...
“Tut-tuttin”
“Two-Fisted Bass Walker”
SO...
Whichever piece you want to play, just let me know!
Oh, and don’t forget your hat and sunglasses!
